Showing posts with label New Adult. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Adult. Show all posts

Sunday, 5 November 2017

Review: Rikki by Abigail Strom

Rikki (Hart University, #1)RIKKI

Author: Abigail Strom
Series: Hart University #1
Pages: 212
Genre: New Adult
Release date: First published September 20th 2015

Synopsis: Ever since junior high and an ill-fated game of seven minutes in heaven, Rikki Eisendrath and Sam Payne have hated each others’ guts. But when they end up at the same college—and the same dorm—they figure it’s time to declare a truce. 

They even become friends . . . sort of. But when Sam asks Rikki to model for his sculpting project, they start spending more time together—and her feelings for him get more complicated. 

She tries to focus on the guy she’s been crushing on instead. But Sam’s the one she can’t stop thinking about, even though their arguments are starting to heat up as much as the chemistry between them.

With antagonism and attraction this intense, there’s bound to be an explosion. But when the dust settles, will Sam and Rikki be enemies, friends . . . or something more?

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

What a frustrating book! In the most positive way of course; I don’t think I have come across characters that are clearly so perfect for one another but can never seem to communicate their true feelings and prefer to play games with one another’s emotions. If it wasn’t for what happened towards the ending of this book it would have been a 5 star read for me.

Rikki and Sam have always hated one another; it all started out with their academic competitiveness but then it changed with a game of seven minutes in heaven; both characters are extremely strong-willed and not willing to forgive the other until they call a truce when they end up in the same dorm at college.   

Rikki and Sam were both well-developed, fleshed out and likeable characters but boy oh boy did they need to work on their communication skills; it isn’t until Sam asks Rikki to model for his sculpting project that their friendship actually begins to change and Rikki feels differently towards him despite crushing on someone else.

As the book progresses, we learn that Rikki and Sam have a lot in common; they bond over their virgin status, they also have family issues – Rikki with the pending divorce of her lesbian parents and Sam with the recent death of his father and his struggle to leave home and his mum. Their conversations and bonding times strengthened their growing friendship.

I really enjoyed Abigail Strom’s writing style, she wrote some wonderfully diverse characters who all played a role in the overall story and kept the plot entertaining with their ongoing antics; as mentioned above though there was an incident towards the end of the book that left me deeply disappointed; it was a big plot twist that I truly didn’t expect, I won’t divulge what it was to avoid spoilers but be prepared.

Overall, I enjoyed Rikki by Abigail Strom and I look forward to reading more titles by this author.

Thank you to Abigail via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review Rikki.


Abigail StromAbout the author: Abigail Strom started writing stories at the age of seven and has never been able to stop. She lives in New England with her family, who are incredibly supportive of the hours she spends hunched over her computer. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached at abigail@abigailstrom.com.

Like all writers I'm a reader, too, and that's why I'm on Goodreads. I read everything, but especially romance, YA, mystery, sci fi, and fantasy.

Wednesday, 3 August 2016

Review: Torn (A Wicked Saga #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Torn (A Wicked Saga, #2)Torn

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: A Wicked Saga
Publisher: JLA
Release date: 19th July 2016
Pages: 299
Source: Amazon

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Torn between duty and survival, nothing can be the same. 

Everything Ivy Morgan thought she knew has been turned on its head. After being betrayed and then nearly killed by the Prince of the Fae, she’s left bruised and devastated—and with an earth-shattering secret that she must keep at all costs. And if the Order finds out her secret, they’ll kill her. 

Then there’s Ren Owens, the sexy, tattooed Elite member of the Order who has been sharing Ivy’s bed and claiming her heart. Their chemistry is smoking hot, but Ivy knows that Ren has always valued his duty to the Order above all else—he could never touch her if he knew the truth. That is, if he let her live at all. Yet how can she live with herself if she lies to him? 

But as the Fae Prince begins to close in, intent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld, Ivy is running out of options. If she doesn’t figure out who she can trust—and fast—it’s not only her heart that will be torn apart, but civilization itself.

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

Contains possible spoilers from the first book

I have been really looking forward to reading Torn despite not completely loving the first book, Wicked; it was the first book by JLA that I didn’t completely love but the sequel was all sorts of wonderful.

This book is a continuation of Wicked, so they should be read in order so that you know who is who and what is going on.

At the beginning of this book Ivy Morgan is recovering from being betrayed by her best friend and fellow order member Val and almost killed by the Prince of the Fae. After finding out what she is, she doesn’t know who she can trust but she does know that she needs to prevent the fae prince from creating an apocalypse baby with the Halfling and opening the gates to the otherworld.

Ren is Ivy’s newish boyfriend and part of the Order’s Elite, he is committed to his job and despises the fae so Ivy is petrified that he’ll want nothing to do with her once he finds out what she is. Ivy and Ren are both amazing! I loved their chemistry and their banter; you couldn’t help but hope for happiness for both of them after everything that they have been through, I felt they both grew as characters from the first book.

The Prince of Fae is the type of villain you love to hate, emotionless, powerful and cruel he is intent on opening the gate to the otherworld and will do it by any means necessary. His treatment of Ivy was harsh but she stayed strong despite what he put her through.

Many secrets were revealed which had me shocked! Everything that Ivy thought she knew about the Order and the fae has been wrong so it was great learning the truth as she did.

The biggest surprise in Torn was Tink! Oh my gosh, I adored him; he definitely brings the humor to the story and I loved his big reveal and the way he looks out for Ivy, their friendship has really grown.

JLA’s books have been more miss than hit for me lately but this was very well written and wasn’t filled with trademark snark which at time does become too much, this had the perfect blend of everything that I have always adored about her books.

My only gripe was the wait between books, I know that this is sometimes out of the authors control but I originally read Wicked in 2014 so I had forgotten a lot of what had happened, JLA did a great job of rehashing everything but it is hard to keep up with such a long break in between books.

Overall, Torn had a great blend of romance, mystery and wit; it’s a thoroughly entertaining NA Paranormal and I am excited for the next book in the series Brave which has an anticipated 2017 release date.



Jennifer L. ArmentroutAbout the author: # 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia. 

All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true. 

Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.

She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen. 

Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Saturday, 16 April 2016

Review: Jockblocked (Girdiron #2) by Jen Frederick

Jockblocked (Gridiron, #2)Jockblocked

Author: Jen Frederick
Series: Gridiron #2
Pages: 496
Publisher: Createspace
Release date: 11th February 2016

Synopsis (Goodreads) – College junior Lucy Washington abides by one rule—avoid risk at all costs. She’s cautious in every aspect of her life, from her health, to her mock trial team, to the boring guys she dates. When a brash, gorgeous jock walks into the campus coffeeshop and turns his flirt on, Lucy is stunned by the force of attraction. For the first time ever, she’s willing to step out of her comfort zone, but can she really trust the guy who’s determined to sweep her off her feet?

He’s always played around…

Entering his last year of college eligibility, linebacker Matthew "Matty" Iverson has the team captaincy in his sights. And it’s his for the taking, if he can convince his quarterback Ace Anderson to give up the starting position. Luckily, Matty already has an edge—the hottie he’s lusting over just happens to be Ace’s childhood best friend. Getting Lucy on his side and in his bed? Hell yeah. Matty is more than confident he can have both, but when he falls hard for Lucy, it’s time for a new game plan: convince the woman of his dreams that she’s not sleeping with the enemy.


Review: 4 out of 5 stars

I am such a huge Jen Frederick fan so I was super excited to read the latest instalment in her Gridiron series, Jockblocked which is Lucy Washington and Matthew Iverson’s story.

Lucy is a college junior, working in the local brew house and a sociology student; she avoids risk at all costs and is extremely cautious when it comes to everything in her life from her health to dating, she has a tendency to dissect every decision that she makes. I found myself really liking Lucy; she was a sweetheart and really logical.

Matthew ‘Matty’ Iverson is in his last year of college and a line-backer, he has the team captaincy in his sights and will do anything to obtain it including getting close to Lucy who happens to be the quarterbacks best friend. Matty was charming and I enjoyed learning more about him, he has a bit of a man-whore reputation which always irks me but he was always amazing with Lucy.

I enjoyed how Jockblocked progressed, nothing was rushed and everything happened at a realistic pace, including the slow to burn romance between Lucy and Matty; they were chalk and cheese but I loved their interactions and witty banter, I also adored the way he looked out for her. Of course there was a bit of miscommunication but I felt it was dealt with well.

What let this book down for me was Ace, Lucy’s quarterback best friend and the drama that surrounded him, it seems his relationship with the coaches daughter has well and truly come back to bite him on the butt! I really liked him in Sacked but he came across as a real douche in this book, his antics created too many problems.

Other than this, I loved the book. I can’t fault Jen Frederick’s writing, her main characters are wonderful and the romance had me swooning. I am clueless when it comes to Gridiron, I have no idea about this sport but I have loved reading about the time and the effort that goes into it for these players, its pure dedication and Jen explained it all well.

Jockblocked is another great instalment in the Gridiron series; I am looking forward to reading the next book Downed which has an anticipated November release date.

An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.


EXCERPT  

I grab her foot and pull it into my lap. “Let’s do a risk/reward test.”

“Let’s not.” But her foot doesn’t move.

I massage her foot beneath the sock, pressing hard against the ball and then digging into the arch. She releases a tiny moan and her head falls back in a dick-hardening sexy motion. Fuuuuck. If this is how I feel from just touching this girl’s hand and foot, what would it be like to be between her legs, to suck on her tits, to feel her pussy pulse around my dick? Light-headed and incredibly aroused, I almost fall off the chair.

I gotta focus here. If I’m ever going to get past the foot and hand, I need to convince her that the reward with me would be off-the-charts amazing.
Clearing my throat, I keep rubbing her foot. “Having your foot in my lap, that’s a risk right? But you’re enjoying the rubdown. That’s a risk worth the reward.”

“Keep rubbing and stop talking,” she orders. Her eyes are closed.

Okay, but I’m not touching some other guy’s sock, particularly the guy whose bed she’s sleeping in. I don’t know if I fully buy into her “just friends” explanation for Ace. He has her picture in his locker. She’s wearing his socks. For all that, he’s at the Gas Station dry humping a Kappa and Lucy’s home alone. I pull off the sock and toss it aside and stare at her toes.

“Your nail polish is blue.” Since when did I think toes were sexy?

She wriggles them. “Yes, on both feet. You’re very observant. Haven’t you ever seen a girl’s toes before?”

“I’m sure I have.” I just don’t remember them. I have this strange feeling I’ll remember hers, though.

I run a light caress over the anklebone, down the spine of the Achilles tendon, and around the edge of her instep.

Her breathing hitches, so quiet and so soft, I might have imagined it.

“What’re you doing?” Her words are a husky whisper and my body responds accordingly.

My balls tighten and my dick’s so hard I’m worried it’ll snap in half, but I can’t reach into my jeans to readjust or I’ll scare her away.

“We’re testing your risk assessment.” And driving myself crazy.

“You should stop.”

“I can’t.” I move my hand up her ankle to cup the slender calf. “Feel good? Worth the risk?”

“I’m not sure.”

That’s an invitation if I ever heard one.

Is it possible to come from just rubbing a girl’s leg? I might test out that theory.

“And now?” My fingers find the tender hollow behind her knee. Her pulse beats rapidly against my palm. She’s as turned on as I am and I haven’t even gotten to the good parts.

“It feels riskier,” she croaks.

Yeah, because pretty soon my hand is going to be on your thigh and I don’t know how I’m going to stop there.

Her fingers are turning white as she grips the sides of her chair. Is she holding herself back? Or keeping herself there?

Fuck, I want to kiss her so bad. I want to kiss her lips but I’d settle for her toes or her knee or‑shit, if all she’ll allow is for me to touch the tips of her fingers, I’d be okay with that. I need a taste of her. I’m dying for a taste of her.

Monday, 28 September 2015

Review: Sacked (Gridiron #1) by Jen Frederick

Sacked (Gridiron, #1)Sacked

Author: Jen Frederick
Series: Gridiron
Pages: 300
Publisher: Pear Tree LLC
Release date: 6th September 2015

Synopsis: (Goodreads)

What he wants he gets... 

Knox Masters is a quarterback's worst nightmare. Warrior. Champion. And...virgin. Knox knows what he wants--and he gets it. All American Football player? Check. NFL pros scouting him? Check. Now, he's set his sight on two things. The national title. And Ellie Campbell. Sure, she's the sister of his fellow teammate, but that's not going to stop him. Especially not when he’s convinced Ellie is the one. 

...but he's never met her before. 

But Ellie isn't as sure. She's trying to start a new life and she's not interested in a relationship...with anyone. Beside it's not just her cardinal rule of never dating her brother's teammates that keeps her away, but Ellie has a dark secret that would jeopardize everything Knox is pursuing. 

Knox has no intention of losing. Ellie has no intention of giving in.

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

This one ticked all the boxes for me, amazing characters, a sweet romance, beautifully written and an engaging storyline, I even learnt a thing or two about a sport I had no idea about.

I was sooo eager to read this book since Jen Frederick released the first chapter, I was hooked and couldn’t wait to meet Ellie and Knox and they certainly made quite the impression, I loved every moment that they were together and my only small gripe was the ending which I can’t comment on to avoid spoilers.

Knox Masters is a football player, top of his game and looking for the national title; when he meets Ellie Campbell he knows what he wants and he pursues her despite her being his teammates sister.

Ellie is adamant she won’t repeat a mistake that she made in high school by dating another football player but Knox was relentless, it was a little insta-love but thankfully it didn’t bother me. Ellie also has a lot of pressure on her and is keeping a very big secret. I really felt for the predicament she was in and I was quite surprised by how it all unfolded; I despised her mother for this. Ellie would make a great best friend; she was a sweetheart, confident and sassy.

All of the characters were well developed, Knox was confident and determined without being arrogant; he was the perfect package as were his teammates, I’d love to see Ellie’s brother Jack have his own book; I adored the relationship these siblings shared.

As with all of Jen Fredericks books, she writes the most amazing romances, they don’t come without drama but they are still pretty perfect and Knox and Ellie were no exception; I adored their interactions, the banter and their intense chemistry certainly made things entertaining. I couldn’t get enough of them. Knox was also a virgin, the tables were turned in this NA but he certainly wasn’t without experience, we got some pretty steamy smexy steams – perfectly written.

I enjoyed learning a little more about football, I am hopeless when it comes to sports but I was absorbed in the games, the friendship between the players and of course the politics. I also enjoyed Knox’s relationship with his identical twin and his parents; very different to what Ellie was going through with hers.


Jen Frederick is a fabulous writer, I have loved all of her books immensely; Sacked is a fantastic addition to the new adult genre, I can’t wait to see who’s up next in the Gridiron series. 

Friday, 21 August 2015

Review: Fearless (Pretty Smart Girls #2) by Shae Ross

Fearless (Entangled Embrace)Fearless

Author: Shae Ross
Series: -
Pages:
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Amazon

Synopsis (Goodreads) Every fighter has a weakness...

Devi Dalton won't let anyone hold her back. With the help of her friends, she's taken control of her future and traded her messed-up family life for a new job in Manhattan. Her only obstacle? Ben Winslow, the sexy friend she's desperately trying to resist. If she's going to succeed, she can't afford to be distracted, no matter how hot the chemistry burns between them.

Cage fighter Ben spent six months trying to convince Devi to take a chance on a relationship. Now that they've reunited in New York, he's not letting her push him away again. They're more than friends-always have been-and he'll do whatever it takes to prove it to her. First, he has a few demons of his own to slay...one of which could ruin his chances with her for forever.

But every fighter has a weakness. Ben's is Devi. And this time, she'll need more than just her favorite "Fearless Red" lipstick to protect her heart if she lets him in...

Review: 3 out of 5 stars

I was so curious about this book, I adore friendship to lovers relationships so I started this one the moment I downloaded it and all was going well until the big Ben reveal and also the misleading ‘cage fighting’ in the description which was only mentioned in two small scenes.

I didn’t realise this is also the second book in the Pretty Smart Girls series but it can most definitely be read as a stand-alone.

Our MC’s are Devi & Ben who met in the first book in the series, Laced Up where they were competing for a place to work at the sponsoring company’s headquarters; Ben’s team won and part of the deal was city accommodation so they decide to sublet an apartment to Devi and her friend Ryan. The chemistry between Ben and Devi was smouldering and you just anticipate the moment they would get together, it didn’t come without drama but it was entertaining none the less until a BIG setback happens; I just felt this aspect was completely unnecessary and ruined what they had worked towards – I don’t want to spoil it for anyone but it was a bit of a deal breaker for me which is why I reduced my rating.

We also learn about Devi’s dysfunctional family life; I felt this aspect was interesting and explored well; it also shaped Devi to be the independent person she was; she didn’t like to depend on anyone so seeks out to find a job the moment she arrives & when offered a job at a children’s centre she readily accepts it. I loved reading about her time with the kids, especially Gator and I loved that he got his HEA; he was a sweetheart.  

I enjoyed Shae Ross’s writing style & her characters, the storyline without the unnecessary drama would have appealed to me more; there was a lot happening such as drugs, dysfunctional families, traumatised kids and potential parenting; the blend made for an angst filled read.

Thank you to Entangled via Netgalley for the opportunity to read Fearless.



Shae RossAbout the author (Goodreads): Shae Ross was born and grew up in Ferndale, Michigan. After graduating high school, Ms. Ross attended Michigan State University and continued her education at Detroit College of Law. Prior to 2014, she spent the majority of her career practicing corporate law, running a successful business and engaged in entrepreneurial ventures.

After having one too many stressful days at the office, Ms. Ross began to consider pursuing her lifelong dream of writing. Armed with an English degree, an interest in historical settings and a huge collection of romance novels, Ms. Ross put pen to paper and began converting the characters in her head to ink. She soon found herself happily immersed in a new working world that included heroes and heroines, agents and editors, and a multitude of secondary characters.

Ms. Ross currently writes in the new adult and historical romance genres and lives with her husband and three children in Holt, Michigan.